BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



entitled "Flora Domestica" all we desire under this head, we 

 give the following copious extracts, which may not be unaccept- 

 able to a portion of our readers at least : 



" The Rose is preeminently the flower of love and poetry, 

 the very perfection of floral realities. Imagination may have 

 flattered herself that her power could form a more perfect 

 beauty ; but, it is said, she never yet discovered such to mortal 

 eyes. This, however, she would persuade us to be a mere 

 matter of delicacy, and that she had the authority of Apollo for 

 her secret success : 



' No mortal eye can reach the flowers, 



And 't is right just, for well Apollo knows 



'T would make the poet quarrel with the Rose.' 



It is, however, determined, that until the claim of such veiled 

 beauty, or beauties, shall rest upon better foundation, the Rose 

 shall still be considered as the unrivalled Queen of flowers. 



' I saw the sweetest flower wild nature yields, 

 A fresh-blown Musk Rose.' 



" It is said, however, that the angels possess a more beauti- 

 ful kind of Rose than those we have on earth. David saw in 

 a vision a number of angels pass by with gilded baskets in their 

 hands. 



' Some as they went, the blue-eyed Violets strew, 

 Some spotless Lilies in loose order threw ; 

 Some did the way with full-blown Roses spread, 

 Their smell divine, and color strangely red ; 

 Not such as our dull gardens proudly wear, 

 Whom weathers taint, and winds' rude kisses tear ; 

 Such, I believe, was the first Rose's hue, 

 Which at God's word in beauteous Eden grew; 

 dueen of the flowers that made that orchard gay, 

 The morning blushes of the spring's new day.' 



CoWLEY. 



" The Rose, as well as the Myrtle, is considered as sacred to 

 the Goddess of beauty. Berkley, in his Utopia, describes lov- 

 ers as declaring their passion by presenting to the fair-beloved a 



